Original subtitles

Master.

Lejun is awake.

Lejun told me a story,

but it's too bizarre.

It's hard to believe.

I hope you could clarify it for me.

Lejun said

I'm not Prince Qi's son

but your son.

Is it true?

[Key to the Phoenix Heart]

[Episode 17]

Take a rest.

Have some ginseng soup to strengthen your body.

It'll be another tough few days.

Fortunately,

the ointment Ruisheng made works well.

The swelling has gone down a lot.

How could the Grand Tutor bear to do this?

And this.

Anmin asked me to bring this to you.

He said he has nothing to offer

but an abundance of soft cushions

that can make sitting and kneeling

more comfortable.

Pad your knees with this.

It'll ease the pain.

Don't worry.

Prince Jing'an's Mansion will always be your home.

You can stay here

as long as you want.

Thank you, Yuanji.

And Anmin too.

My Lady, it's cold at night.

Don't catch a cold.

Isn't this the fox fur cloak His Highness hunted

and made himself a few years ago?

His Highness asked me to get it.

Why didn't he bring it himself?

And this ointment too.

He requested Ruisheng to

make it for you,

but he just won't come himself.

Maybe

he's afraid to see me.

What?

Nothing.

Yuanji,

I can keep watch here myself.

Please go back and rest.

Take care of yourself.

When the Phoenix Heart Tokens appear, peace shall be restored in the world.

How are the Phoenix Heart Tokens

linked to the minerals?

Your Highness,

I bought the pear blossom candy from Chengyi Hall.

Deliver it to Lady Xie.

I heard she's been keeping vigil for 3 days,

eaten or drunk nothing

except some ginseng soup.

Aren't you going to see her?

Consort Yuanji and Madam Ruisheng

visit her often.

You're at least Lady Xie's

husband in name,

and haven't divorced.

It's understandable for you to

observe mourning for her.

I doubt she wants to see me right now.

Then this time,

shall I ask the Princess to deliver it?

Hang on.

Your Highness.

Is she alright?

My Lady has fallen asleep.

Please keep your voice down.

My Lady finally fell asleep.

She'd been staying up for days.

Consort Yuanji and Madam Ruisheng were

worried that My Lady couldn't endure the strain

so soon after her illness.

Consort Yuanji just brought a bowl of calming soup

and tricked My Lady into drinking it as ginseng soup.

Now she's finally asleep.

How can she sleep here?

I'll carry her back to rest.

Back... Back where?

My Lady...

It seems the outcome of our bet is decided.

I'm going to win.

That's not right.

I remember betting that they'd end up together.

You always win bets with your husband

because you never own up when you lose, right?

That's not true!

Fine, I'll let you have your way.

How about letting Ziqi study

both literature or medicine?

I think that's good.

By the way,

didn't you say His Highness got injured

while getting bear gall

for Jiayu?

Can he carry someone now?

Don't worry.

He won't feel pain.

True.

Do you think Qing Long likes Yan Yue

or Nanxing?

I bet it's Yan Yue.

More bets?

♪ What's the cost of going against the wind? ♪

♪ Knowing you, knowing me, we live up to our promises ♪

♪ Aligning the traces of our conviction ♪

♪ As long as I'm with you ♪

♪ The journey can stretch on forever ♪

♪ Even if it puts my life on the line ♪

♪ I shall never forget ♪

♪ Let me dash toward where you are ♪

♪ To seek out my own sanctuary ♪

♪ Life hurries by, yet you alone ♪

♪ Illuminate me with your blazing radiance ♪

♪ Let me burn with courage as I forge ahead ♪

♪ Your hand in my hand ♪

♪ Our love knows no bounds of time or space ♪

♪ Two hearts together until the end of time ♪

This Phoenix Heart Token is different from my mother's.

If it's not with him, then...

Why did you sigh with relief?

I don't have Her Highness's Phoenix Heart Token.

I didn't kill Her Highness. Someone else did.

Who could it be?

Xie Jiayu, you're so smart.

You must already have an idea, right?

Besides me,

of those by Her Highness's side,

who could do it and had a reason to do it?

How many suspects are still in your list?

If not me, it must be her

or them.

You should be angry, furious,

or confused.

So why did you sigh with relief?

You're relieved it isn't me,

aren't you?

Yaoyao,

why do you feel so?

Xiao Wuyi,

you're not completely in the clear yet.

Since you already knew my motive,

you could've hidden my mother's token

somewhere else.

If you suspect it's me,

you can take my life at any time.

Do you think I dare not?

If I confess my love to you right now,

would you think I'm a lunatic?

You are a lunatic.

Xie Jiayu...

My heart belongs to you.

I know...

♪ Weave our devotion into a melody of two hearts ♪

I know what Her Highness means to you.

♪ Mirror a gaze of stars and moon ♪

I'd never hurt the mother of the woman I love.

♪ Forever illuminate each other's nights ♪

Never.

♪ The truest, most profound affection ♪

♪ An eternal vow ♪

♪ To be each other's forever ♪

♪ You enter my dreams, permeating the crevices of my heart ♪

♪ Every inch of longing ♪

♪ Tugs at unspeakable fantasies ♪

♪ Know that your heart is my heart ♪

You're hurt?

♪ Cherishing each other ♪

What happened?

You didn't have this at Lingfeng Fort.

♪ We will never be alone ♪

What...

♪ In the endless stream of time ♪

♪ My life's every wish is for you ♪

♪ All the sweet nothings in the world fall short ♪

♪ As time flows gently ♪

♪ Hold each other and seal our vows ♪

♪ Whatever the path ♪

♪ I just want to be with you for all time ♪

♪ A lifelong promise ♪

♪ My life's every moment is for you ♪

♪ After all of it ♪

♪ May all your dreams be realized ♪

♪ Just you and me ♪

♪ From dawn to dusk, year after year ♪

♪ Hand in hand, let's experience the bittersweet flavors of earthly life ♪

♪ Hand in hand, let's experience the bittersweet flavors of earthly life ♪

[Memorial tablet of the late Princess Li Yunzhao]

Mother,

if you're watching from heaven,

please bless me

to find the culprit soon.

Someone made a move.

Who?

Silly brother, let's go see Father.

Yes, let's go see Father.

[Prince Jing'an's Mansion]

Memorials impeaching you

are flooding the Censorate.

Still won't hand Cui Jun over?

The prison cart is making its way.

It rained and there was a landslide.

Traveling on the mountain is slow.

Don't give me that nonsense.

I've known that Cui Jun had arrived in Jiankang.

He was just secretly imprisoned by you.

Even if I hand over Cui Jun,

the nobles won't try to impeach me any less.

You're just a witness in the Cui Family Case,

escorting the Cui prisoners on the way.

Once in Jiankang,

you have to hand them over to the Court of Judicial Review.

Do you really want to pocket the Phoenix Heart Token

and the Cui family's minerals?

Did Her Highness's death really have nothing to do with you?

Seriously?

It's not what I think.

It's a rumor in the court,

saying Her Highness's death wasn't an accident,

but that you murdered her

to seize her token.

If you don't hand over Cui Jun,

the rumors will just worsen

with each passing day.

The nobles are watching you like a hawk,

hoping to catch you slip up in any way.

Cui Jun hasn't confessed

how to crack the token,

so I can't hand him over.

Yan Yue said that be it Zhuyou hypnosis,

poison, or torture,

he didn't say a word.

The spy trained by the Empress Dowager of Northern Qin

is indeed a character.

Why is it you reporting this? Where's Yan Yue?

What's wrong?

Your Highness.

What's going on?

Lady Xie said she wants to work on her martial arts,

that mourning is no reason to slack off.

What did she eat for breakfast?

Nothing.

Lady Xie heard that

you do it on an empty stomach early in the morning,

and insisted on doing the same.

Nonsense!

Jiayu!

Jiayu.

Trying to starve yourself to death?

What happened?

Nothing.

Have this.

Learning martial arts takes time.

It's good if you want to train.

But you have to take it step by step,

instead of rushing it, understand?

I just want to have something to do

so my mind can stop racing.

Xie Jiayu.

Stop mistreating yourself.

You said your heart belongs to me.

Then would you

kill for me as well?

Princess Yunzhao just passed away.

But if you can't pull yourself together,

no one else can be responsible for your life.

Not even you?

I can kill for you.

But I can't help you overcome this obstacle.

You already know who did it,

don't you?

Bad news, Your Highness!

Cui Jun was taken away!

What?

The kidnapper left a message on the wall, saying they were

acting on Crown Prince Wenxi's orders.

Impossible.

Don't go out for the next few days,

OK?

My Lady.

The Heir arranged all this.

He said although you're not a real married couple,

etiquette comes first.

Princess Yunzhao is considered half an elder to him.

For the mourning,

the estate should show its respects.

The entire estate will mourn by wearing

mourning clothes.

We've reported this to the Dowager Princess,

and she has agreed.

I just wonder

why the Heir took so long to

show this sincerity.

He was afraid I wouldn't like it before.

But he's not afraid now?

My heart belongs to you.

My Lady, I don't think

the Heir did it.

I know he didn't do it.

Someone wants me to think

he killed her for her Phoenix Heart Token.

Crown Prince Wenxi is the hope of the people.

Now that the token has appeared,

Crown Prince Wenxi should naturally reveal himself.

Lejun, what are you doing here?

I was just about to call you for dinner.

I lost my earring,

so I came out to look for it.

Did you find it?

But

Xiao Wuyi and my mother are

indeed hiding something from me.

And my mother's death

is related to it.

It all started because of Crown Prince Wenxi.

[Memorial tablet of the late Princess Li Yunzhao]

Xie, why are you here?

Your Highness.

You agreed to let the entire estate

mourn for my mother.

I should

thank you in person.

It's the least I could do.

Nanxing, take the things inside.

Yes.

Your Highness,

you're also from the Capital.

There are some things about the past

that I want to ask you.

Go ahead.

I heard that my mother

used to be very close to Empress Wenxi;

close like sisters.

Yes.

The Two Beauties of the Capital

referred to Empress Wenxi

and Princess Yunzhao.

I also heard

that Old General Xiao

used to be a groom for Empress Wenxi's maternal family.

He entered the Imperial Guard because of Empress Wenxi's recommendation,

and later led the Imperial Guard

to escort the Ye royals and nobles to the south

Establishing Southern Ye

and assisting the emperor,

he was titled Prince Jing'an.

That is true.

But why didn't

my mother ever mention the Xiao family

or Old General Xiao to me?

They were of different social classes.

Not to mention the Prince was just a groom back then.

It's no surprise that

the Princess didn't remember him.

But Empress Wenxi could entrust her last 50,000 Imperial Guards

to Old General Xiao, so he must've been

a trusted confidant.

My mother was also someone Empress Wenxi trusted.

How could she not remember?

When Empress Wenxi gave birth to the Crown Prince on the brink of death,

for some unknown reason,

the Crown Prince failed to appear for a long time.

So, the court was divided into two factions.

One faction insisted on waiting for the Crown Prince to return

and supporting the orthodox heir,

such as your mother.

The other faction was the various nobles,

who advocated choosing a prince of similar age

from the royal clans

and supporting him first.

The two factions were deadlocked.

Only Prince Jing'an, who commanded the Imperial Guard,

had the right to decide.

The Prince chose the nobles

and supported Emperor Rui,

who is His Majesty's father.

Yes.

Since then,

the Princess and the Xiao family have had no contact.

Then didn't the Prince have a Phoenix Heart Token?

I was just asking.

Well...

My mother's token is missing.

Some say Xiao Wuyi killed my mother

for her Phoenix Heart Token.

That's why...

Impossible.

I can guarantee you that.

Xiao Wuyi would never kill the Princess.

He couldn't...

Please believe me.

Wuyi would never kill the Princess.

You must trust Wuyi.

Don't let others mislead you.

I understand.

If you say so, I believe you.

I trust Xiao Wuyi.

Lady Xie,

please tell me

why you're bringing me here.

Didn't I help you get

the chance to compete in archery?

You said you owed me a favor

and would do one thing for me.

I did say that.

Then ask no more.

I promise this matter

doesn't violate the laws of Ye.

Sir, here he is.

Please hold out your hand.

No.

Thank you, sir.

What exactly is going on?

"No" what?

Wuyi?

You drew me.

When was this? At the martial arts arena?

The bone reader said

you and Xiao Yao aren't biological brothers.

So sure, huh?

What if he was wrong?

The fact that you're sitting here

proves that I'm right.

When did you

start doubting my identity?

At Lingfeng Fort.

That early?

At first,

I didn't care who Crown Prince Wenxi was.

I only cared about

who murdered my mother.

I know my mother told you

she'd trade the token for my freedom.

The night before she died,

I saw you two arguing.

She wouldn't

give this token

to anyone other than Crown Prince Wenxi.

Since she promised you,

how could she go back on her word?

That's why you suspected

that I was the one who attacked Her Highness

to get the token?

Besides you,

Lejun was also a probable suspect.

That day,

I heard Her Highness arguing with someone.

She said she knew the whereabouts of Crown Prince Wenxi.

She was going to give the token

to Crown Prince Wenxi.

In the carriage,

I did give her a chance.

But she knew your background

and insisted on helping Crown Prince Wenxi ascend the throne.

If she heard my mother's desire

to support Crown Prince Wenxi's ascension,

it'd pose a threat to Mao's position.

So she also had a reason to take the token.

Once Crown Prince Wenxi

returns to Jiankang with the token,

what will you do, Brother?

For the Eastern Palace,

you even gave up Yaoyao.

I had to get rid of the ticking time bomb!

Without Her Highness's token,

even if Crown Prince Wenxi comes,

the prophecy is considered broken.

Who was she arguing with?

I didn't see clearly, but I think...

it must be Xiao Wuyi.

Xiao Wuyi really wants the token.

He's been holding on to Cui Jun's token.

Brother.

In my opinion,

to Xiao Wuyi,

you're just a pawn kept in the imperial government

to facilitate the Beifu Reform.

If he dares to fall in love with Yaoyao,

how much affection

does he have left for you?

You must never...

trust Xiao Wuyi again.

Only you have the grain that could

drive a horse mad.

So at first,

I was more suspicious of you.

When did it change?

On the day of the wedding,

[Ye Xing, a Shadow Envoy]

the one who died was my twin brother.

My brother and I were

secret guards raised by Princess Yunzhao.

Up until the wedding,

our existence was

unknown even to the Grand Tutor.

Aren't you dead?

Before Mother went to Lingfeng Fort,

she sent him on an errand.

But by the time he returned,

Mother was already killed.

When we entered the city that day, I stayed behind

just to tell Li Mao that

I've found a witness.

Lejun is severely injured and unconscious.

If she wakes up,

ask her to think carefully

if there are any other witness clues.

I had someone look for the groom's family,

hoping to find some new clues.

Then, My Lady

ordered me to immediately take control

of the groom's family

and bring them to Jiankang,

to see if anyone

would take the opportunity to act.

As expected, Prince Qi's men came.

So you suspected Li Lejun early on.

They took the bait.

I just cast the hook for everyone.

Luring the snake out of its hole

also alerts the snake.

Li Mao and Li Lejun

must've noticed your suspicion,

and will soon find out that

the groom's family

actually know nothing

and aren't witnesses.

So what if they know?

Alright.

Then let's talk about me.

When exactly did I give myself away?

When Cui Jun took my mother hostage.

Crown Prince Wenxi died long ago!

He didn't die!

Cui Jun was taken away.

The kidnapper left a message on the wall, saying they were

acting on Crown Prince Wenxi's orders.

Impossible.

Being overly certain is

indeed inappropriate.

Once suspicion arises,

it can't be curbed.

Xiyue Restaurant keeps telling stories

about the token and Crown Prince Wenxi.

If Crown Prince Wenxi is really alive,

how old would he be?

Twenty-four years ago... So, 24.

The Dowager Princess's contradictory attitude towards you...

Wuyi is also my son.

Then why refuse to go see Xiao Wuyi?

Xiao Wuyi would never kill the Princess.

And Mother's blind trust in you

when she was at the Cui Mansion.

Who says we stand alone?

We share weal and woe.

He indeed

gave himself a very nice name.

Also,

her evaluation of Crown Prince Wenxi.

Mother said Crown Prince Wenxi is

someone who values the world

more than himself,

who spares no effort for this world,

and that those who can bear this saying

are few in this world.

I happen to know

a lunatic of such a caliber.

Xie Jiayu,

so you have such a high opinion of me.

Xiao Wuyi,

it's time to reveal your true identity.

Yes.

I am Crown Prince Wenxi.

[Prince Jing'an's Mansion]

It's time to bring Mother home.

Nanxing, help me with my grooming and dressing.

Over the years,

my Xie family had received so much favor from the Princess.

My Shanji Hall could

stay open thanks to the Princess's

years of financial support.

These Buddhist scriptures were

hand-copied by the women and children

of Shanji Hall these few days

to be offered to the Princess.

Offer condolences!

Princess Pingning has arrived.

Greetings, Your Highness.

My brother and I've had a tough life.

Thankfully, the Princess took care of us.

We're forever indebted to her.

I have requested a decree

to be an escort for the Princess.

Greetings, Grand Tutor.

Doing this even when you're injured.

This is very thoughtful of you.

It's time!

Start the procession! Break the bowl!

Wait!

Father,

with me around,

how can my cousin break the bowl

and an outsider be the escort?

Lejun fell down the cliff with my mother,

yet she recovered so quickly.

It seems

you're very blessed.

Yaoyao, I'm sorry.

I didn't hold onto the Princess.

If only I had moved faster that day.

Yaoyao, where have you been?

It's been past the 7 days of mourning,

and you haven't been kneeling by the coffin.

I forbade her from coming.

I thought I made it very clear last time

that you're not allowed to set foot in the Xie Mansion!

Everyone, you may not know,

but my mother had divorced my father.

Mother wouldn't want...

Divorced?

To be buried in the Xie ancestral graveyard.

So today,

I'm here to take her away.

How insolent!

Jiayu,

you can't just spout nonsense.

How could your parents be divorced?

I have two letters in my hand.

This letter was

written to me by my mother when she left Jiankang.

She said she'd divorced my father

and wanted to go out to relax

and travel the world.

The second letter...

was written to my father when my mother was

at Lingfeng Fort.

These are the Princess's belongings.

Unfortunately, she died

before she could mail it.

Father,

want to take a look?

No need.

My marriage to your mother

was decreed by the royals.

So, without verification of the Clan Court

and the approval of the Inner Court,

your divorce paper is

utterly invalid.

Since the entire Xie family is gathered here today,

I will say it again:

Xie Jiayu is not Yunzhao's and my biological child!

-What? -What?

-What's this? -I don't know.

She is just

an orphan Yunzhao picked up from somewhere.

A little pet

kept by Yunzhao for just over a decade.

So, what right...

What right does she have

to make decisions for my Xie family and Yunzhao?

Let's not waste any more time.

T-This...

Did Prince Jing'an's Mansion raise a bunch of bandits?

Barging into my Xie mourning hall

to snatch the coffin, huh?

Is there

still any law and order?

Grand Tutor.

Xie Jiayu's word is law

today.

I hope you can let Jiayu finish what she has to say.

Cui Jun is a secret spy of Northern Qin.

After Mother was controlled by him,

she had a chance to escape.

But she heard Cui Jun mention the An-Lu case.

To pry the truth

out of Cui Jun,

Mother spared no effort to deal with him

and almost couldn't get away.

Mother knew that

the An-Lu case was a lifelong emotional burden of yours.

You need closure.

So she'd rather risk her life

just to seek the truth for you.

Mother once thought

your obsessions were all wrong.

Only later did she know she was wrong too.

Now,

the truth is in my hands.

Yaoyao!

Don't!

Grand Tutor!

I said to

let Xie Jiayu finish speaking today.

Father.

My mother was murdered.

Do you dare to let me investigate

who really murdered my mother?

Xie Jiayu, the nerve of you to say this.

It was clearly because the horse got spooked

that your mother had that accidental fall.

If you hadn't swapped carriages with her,

it would've been you instead.

What else is there to investigate?

Fine, I understand.

If you don't want to investigate,

I'll do it myself.

I'll get justice for my mother.

Let me ask you again, Father.

If I want to exchange the An-Lu case for Mother,

will you make the trade or not?

No, no, you...

Father.

Will you make the trade or not?

No! Don't, don't!

If there's any truth to the An-Lu case,

then that's a matter of state!

How can you jeopardize the state

for your own selfish interests?

Is that so?

Then Father,

in the repeating crossbow case,

didn't you jeopardize the state

for your own selfish interests?

Nonsense!

What does your father have to do with the repeating crossbow?

Whether I'm speaking nonsense,

Father knows best.

Whether I want to burn everything down with me,

Father also knows best.

Mother told me

your past stories.

Since you love someone else,

since even the beginning was a mistake,

then why wouldn't you let Mother be free?

From the Capital to Jiankang,

too many people are

trapped in the past and in the court.

Mother is gone.

I just want her

to find peace in the afterlife.

How could you—how could anyone—

understand my love for Yunzhao?

She was the one

who chose the wrong beginning.

Since it was wrong,

then it must be wrong till the end.

That's what she owed me.

I'll trade!

I'll trade.

Mother was right.

Nothing...

can outweigh the An-Lu case

in your heart.

Today, the entire Xie family is here.

Please be my witnesses.

Mother wrote a divorce paper long ago,

and Father has agreed to it today.

From now on,

Princess Yunzhao and the Xie family have no further ties,

parting amicably.

Even if...

you take Yunzhao away today,

without the Emperor and Empress Dowager annulling the marriage,

she, Li Fuhua,

will always be my wife!

Her soul will

never leave the Xie ancestral hall!

You don't need to worry about that, Father.

Father.

This is the last time I'll call you Father.

♪ The past is dust, we're passing through ♪

♪ No regrets for what we've lost and won ♪

♪ The shape of time begins to fade ♪

♪ Half by choice, half washed away ♪

♪ If fate is fragile, what is right or wrong? ♪

♪ We only live for what we can't let go ♪

♪ Love and hate fade like the shifting sand ♪

♪ What's right or wrong is better left unsaid ♪

♪ Every soul is bound by cause and fate ♪

[Grand Tutor's Mansion]

♪ The past is gone, so let it slip away ♪

♪ The heart's a cage, but peace will break the chains ♪

♪ No need to speak, just leave it all to fate ♪